er earnestness
prosecuted his undertaking, and, by such means as were available, more
cautiously corresponded with his friends, and often went and returned
from Rome with such celerity as to be in time to present himself
before the governor within the limit allowed for his appearance. Having
acquired a sufficient number of partisans, he determined to make the
attempt without further delay, and arranged with his friends at Rome to
provide an evening banquet, to which all the conspirators were invited,
with orders that each should bring with him his most trust-worthy
friends, and himself promised to be with him before the entertainment
was served. Everything was done according to this orders, and Stefano
Porcari arrived at the place appointed. Supper being brought in, he
entered the apartment dressed in cloth of gold, with rich ornaments
about his neck, to give him a dignified appearance and commanding
aspect. Having embraced the company, he delivered a long oration to
dispose their minds to the glorious undertaking. He then arranged the
measures to be adopted, ordering that one part of them should, on the
following morning, take possession of the pontiff's palace, and that
the other should call the people of Rome to arms. The affair came to the
knowledge of the pope the same night, some say by treachery among the
conspirators, and others that he knew of Porcari's presence at Rome. Be
this as it may, on the night of the supper Stefano, and the greater part
of his associates, were arrested, and afterward expiated their crime
by death. Thus ended his enterprise; and though some may applaud his
intentions, he must stand charged with deficiency of understanding; for
such undertakings, though possessing some slight appearance of glory,
are almost always attended with ruin.

Gherardo Gambacorti was lord of Val di Bagno, and his ancestors as well
as himself had always been in the pay or under the protection of the
Florentines. Alfonso endeavored to induce him to exchange his territory
for another in the kingdom of Naples. This became known to the
Signory, who, in order to ascertain his designs, sent an ambassador
to Gambacorti, to remind him of the obligations of his ancestors and
himself to their republic, and induce him to continue faithful to them.
Gherardo affected the greatest astonishment, assured the ambassador with
solemn oaths that no such treacherous thought had ever entered his mind,
and that he would gladly go to Flo